San Diego County spreads a long way, and a wrecked car in Escondido or Oceanside is a very different pickup from one in North Park. We quote the vehicle, not the postcode, and the tow is on us either way.
Offer in writing before dispatch. Free pickup. Paid in full before the truck leaves.
Why San Diego
What we see here
A lot of San Diego sellers come to us after a body shop estimate crosses the value of the car. That estimate is useful: it is the number that tells you repair is off the table. It is not the number that tells you the car is worthless.
We pick up along the 5, the 8, the 15, the 163 and the 805, and across
Chula Vista, El Cajon, Clairemont, North Park, Mira Mesa, Escondido, Oceanside and La Mesa. Pickup is free everywhere we buy, including vehicles that do not
run, have no keys, or have not moved in a year.
How it runs
Three steps, and the number does not move
1
Tell us about the car
Year, make, model, trim, mileage, where the damage sits, whether it runs, your title status, and
the ZIP in San Diego where it is parked. Photos speed this up most.
2
Offer in writing, before dispatch
We price the vehicle as a vehicle, not by weight. Nothing is dispatched until you accept, and
once you accept, that is what you are paid.
3
Free pickup, paid on the spot
Usually within 24 to 48 hours. Free even if the car does not run or roll. Paid in full before
the vehicle is loaded and gone.
What the gap looks like
A 2016 Hyundai Sonata had been quoted $475 as scrap. We paid $1,350, and the seller had the money
ten hours after the first call. On a 2020 Toyota Highlander XLE we paid $12,500.
$475 → $1,3502016 Sonata
$12,5002020 Highlander XLE
10 hoursFirst call to payment
Figures are from purchases we completed. Every vehicle is different and your offer depends on your car.
California paperwork
The DMV side, handled with you
California has its own rules, and two of them are the reverse of what sellers who moved from a neighbouring state expect.
Standard plates stay with the car
In California the plates belong to the vehicle, not to you. Leave standard plates on it. Only
personalised and special-interest plates come off before pickup, and those you can retain or
transfer through the DMV.
No notarisation needed
California does not require the seller's signature on a title to be notarized. You simply sign
where indicated. If you have sold a car in Arizona or Nevada before, this is one less step than you
are bracing for.
File the REG 138 within 5 days
The Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability is what ends your responsibility for the vehicle.
We file it the same day, and you should file your own copy at the DMV site too. It is free and takes
about two minutes.
Salvage certificates and liens are routine
If your insurer totaled the car, the title is surrendered and the DMV issues a salvage
certificate, form REG 488C, in its place. We buy owner-retained salvage regularly. If there is still
a loan, bring the payoff information or the lien release.
We are not attorneys and we are not the DMV. If your situation is unusual we
will point you to the specific form rather than guess.
The full FAQ goes into more detail.
Reviews
What sellers say
California Wrecked Cars is a TrackWala affiliate. These are Google reviews of
TrackWala, the company that buys the vehicles, quoted exactly as they were written.
★★★★★
I have had the best experience with trackwala Sam has been so awesome in preparing everything that was needed he was right on with everything and quick to respond and everything was just a really great experience I would recommend them to anybody
Driveways, street parking, apartment and condo lots, storage facilities, body shops and
tow yards are all routine. If the car is accruing storage fees, say so when you call, because that
changes how fast we should move.